Daily Archives: April 21, 2022

Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg

HRH Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg Inaugurates the  Luxembourg Pavilion in Venice.

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 21, 2022, Her Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg accompanied by the Luxembourg Minister of Culture, Ms. Sam Tanson, inaugurated the Luxembourg pavilion at the 59th Biennale of Contemporary Art in Venice.

The Hereditary Grand Duchess officially opened artist Ms. Tina Gillen’s Faraway So Close. According to a press release:

“Faraway So Close is a large-scale installation presenting a new suite of paintings made especially for the Luxembourg pavilion. Referencing the Sale d’Armi’s history as a military storage space Gillen presents canvases on supports inspired by painted film backdrops, ‘…as if the paintings were only there temporarily, waiting to be moved again, rearranged…’ Themes such as landscape and dwelling that are recurrent in Gillen’s work accompany more recent pictorial research on the representation of natural phenomena that elude our control as well as ‘uncertain landscapes’ marked by climate and environmental changes brought about by human activities.”

Photos courtesy of the Cour Grand-Ducale/R.Banfi

Headlines

(VIDEOS) HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco Visits Canosa di Puglia in Italy.

On the morning of Thursday, April 21, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco visited Canosa di Puglia in Italy. The sovereign prince is on a three-day visit to the southern region of Italy to strengthen ties with the region as well as to tour areas in which his Grimaldi ancestors came from.

The day began with Prince Albert II unveiling a plaque at the entrance to the city of Canosa di Puglia. During the unveiling the sovereign prince proclaimed that the Municipality of Canosa di Puglia has been officially recognized with the Historic Sites of the Grimaldi’s of Monaco Association. Soon, the sovereign prince accompanied by the Mayor of Canosa di Puglia, Mr. Roberto Morra, arrived at the city hall where they mingled with local government officials.

Thereafter, Prince Albert II placed a wreath at a monument dedicated to those who have died in battle. The day ended with a visit to the Agricultural Institute in Viale I Maggio and a tour of Castel del Monte located in the province of L’Aquila.

Yesterday evening, Prince Albert II visited the beautiful town of Trani where he was warmly welcomed by hundreds of well-wishers, the Mayor of Trani, Mr. Amedeo Bottaro, and the President of the Municipal Council, Mr. Giacomo Marinaro. Whilst in the city, the sovereign prince visited the Cattedrale di San Nicola Pellegrino and toured the Castello di Trani.

Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg

HRH Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg Visits the Cathédrale Notre-Dame to View the Restoration of an Organ.

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg visited the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in Luxembourg City to learn about the renovation of the 1938 Haupt symphonic organ, the largest instrument in the country with 6,000 pipes.

According to the Cour Grand-Ducale, the Haupt symphonic organ has:

“…6,000 pipes (the majority of which come from the initial organ of 1841) and its 102 stops, the most prestigious organ in the country has accompanied the most memorable Luxembourg ceremonies such as princely weddings, the Octave or the Te Deum of the National Holiday.“

In 2008, it was decided that the organ needed to be restored. After twelve years of studying and planning, the restoration was entrusted to the prestigious Austrian company, Rieger Orgelbau. In 2020, full restoration of the Haupt symphonic organ. The inauguration of the Haupt symphonic organ will take place on November 22, 2022, with a concert by the titular organist of Notre-Dame de Paris, Mr. Olivier Latry.

Photos courtesy of the Cour Grand-Ducale/S.Margue

Imperial Family of Japan

(VIDEOS) TIHs Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan Visit the Geku Shrine in Ise in the Mie Prefecture.

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan visited the Geku, the outer shrine of Ise Jingu Shrine, to report on his proclamation as first in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

According to the Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, the “…Geku Shrine is dedicated to Toyouke no Omikami, the goddess of food and industry.” The newspaper goes on to note that the Imperial couple:

“[Walked] slowly along the road leading to the shrine, and offered a ‘Tamagushi’ sacred ‘Sakaki’ tree branch at the Mizugaki Minami Gomon gate, before praying at the shrine together.

After this, they visited and prayed at the Naiku, or inner shrine, where the legendary sun goddess Amaterasu-omikami is enshrined. This was their first visit to the Ise Jingu shrine since April 2018.”

Anyway, the purpose of today’s visit was to report on the completion of the rituals called, Rikkoshi no Rei, which took place in November 2020, to proclaim Crown Prince Fumihito first in line to the throne to succeed his brother, Naruhito, as the Emperor of Japan. 

British Royals

(VIDEO) TRHs The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Visit the London Headquarters of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the London headquarters of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to learn about the ongoing support for people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

According to a press release the “…DEC is comprised of 15 leading UK charities including the British Red Cross, Action Against Hunger, Christian Aid, the International Rescue Committee UK, and Save the Children UK.”

During today’s visit, the Duke and Duchess were warmly welcomed to the DEC headquarters by DEC Chief Executive, Mr. Saleh Saeed, and Director of Communications, Ms. Hannah Richards. The royal couple also “…spoke to aid workers out on the ground in conflict zones and those recently returned from Ukraine and neighboring countries. The royal couple was told about the human impact of the war and how the appeal’s funds are helping support those most in need.”

For more information about today’s visit please click here to read a detailed article from the British newspaper, Shropshire Star.

Spanish Royals

(VIDEO) His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain Holds an Audience with Members of the Asociación de Escuelas Profesionales de Asuntos Internacionales.

On the morning of Thursday, April 21, 2022, His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain held an audience with members who are participating in the annual meeting of the Asociación de Escuelas Profesionales de Asuntos Internacionales (APSIA) held at Palacio de La Zarzuela in Madrid.

The APSIA is a  non-profit educational organization of graduate schools, specializing in international affairs, with 40 members and 26 affiliates worldwide.

Headlines

(VIDEOS) TMs King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain Host a Luncheon on the Occasion of the Miguel de Cervantes’ 2021 Literature Prize.

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 21, Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain hosted a luncheon at Palacio Real in Madrid for Spanish and Latin American authors on the occasion of the Miguel de Cervantes’ 2021 Literature Prize. The Miguel de Cervantes Literature Prize is a Spanish-language literature prize awarded annually by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport at the proposal of the Association of Spanish Language Academies.

According to the Spanish royal court there were 100 guests attending today’s luncheon with include academics, publishers and writers. In his speech, His Majesty stated that:

“…faithful to the Cervantes spirit, this luncheon brings together academics, writers, critics, philologists , editors, cultural journalists, booksellers, literary agents and those of you who work, with different tasks and from different perspectives, so that our common language may be an instrument of dialogue and understanding between brother peoples around the world, so that it illuminates new spaces of knowledge and broaden its horizon, always attached to the town that is its owner. ‘Language of encounters’, as Carlos Fuentes used to say.”

The winner of the Miguel de Cervantes 2021 Literature Prize went to poet and novelist, Ms. Cristina Peri Rossi from Uruguay. In a press release, the Miguel de Cervantes jury noted their reason for awarding the prize to Ms. Rossi:

“The jury has highlighted her career as one of the great literary vocations of today in a wide variety of genres and her ongoing commitment to contemporary issues such as the status of women and sexuality. Cristina Peri Rossi’s literature is a constant exercise in exploration and criticism, without shying away from the value of the word as an expression of a commitment to key issues of contemporary conversation such as the condition of women and sexuality. Finally, the jury emphasizes that her work, a bridge between Ibero-America and Spain, must remain as a perpetual reminder of exile and the political tragedies of the 20th century.”